December 24: Clothing Technologist
Clothing/ Textile Technologist
In honour of ‘Christmas Jumper Day’, we’re taking you back to the first thread and unpicking the career of Clothing Technologist. Tailor-make a future in which you’ll work with a variety of fabrics, from leather to plastic, that you will be responsible for carrying out quality control tests to ensure they are right for their intended use. You’ll oversee production of a number of products, such as clothing to industrial textiles, from the first stitch. With many routes to choose from, a career as a Clothing Technologist may be the perfect fit for you!
Job Description
Salary (Avg.) £30,020
From a starting salary of £21,000, you could rack up a take home pay of £55,000 and above, by working your way up from Assistant Textile Technologist to senior roles as a Clothing Technologist. Through this role you’ll be responsible for ensuring clothing and textiles are produced efficiently and meet quality standards, while liaising with those involved in the production process. No two days will be the same, according to Prospects, possible job you could be carrying out could be: developing a man-made fabric or quality assessing natural ones, overseeing dyeing, printing and finishing of fabrics, or responding to product queries and customer complaints. This is a role that allows you to get involved from start to finish.
Qualifications and Skills
Design your career path as a Clothing Technologist by gaining the qualifications and experience necessary. To enter this career, you need a keen passion for clothing or textiles. For your GCSEs or A-levels, it is recommended you take Textiles to give you a base knowledge. You can then progress this knowledge by gaining a degree in clothing/fashion technology. This is a versatile route as it blends fabric with science, allowing you to select from a number of degree courses, such as:
- chemical and physical sciences
- clothing technology or garment technology
- computing and mathematics
- fashion studies
You can also enter this role through internship and apprenticeships, starting at a lower technician level and working your way up as you gain more experience and knowledge.
What you can be doing now
Needle your way above the competition by gaining some work experience in the textile or clothing industry. You can also keep up to date with industry developments by reading publications such as Drapers. This is a great career for those who consider themselves a people person as networking is often the best way to get your foot in the door. Research possible employers and reach out to them for work experience opportunities; by building a relationship, you are more likely to find employment in the future.
Cross stitch your knowledge and experience together and you’ll be a shoe in for a career as a Clothing Technologist.